2nd Lt. C. Carwood Lipton
1st Lieutenant Clifford Carwood Lipton was a commissioned officer in Easy Company and a major figure in Band of Brothers. He is the focus in the HBO series adapation was Part Seven "The Breaking Point". Biography Lipton was born in Huntington, West Virginia on January 30, 19 Lipton was first seen being criticized by Herbert Sobel, for an "Irish Pennant (loose thread)" on his chevrons (He had been promoted from Private, to Sergeant) in Episode 1. He later runs up Currahee mountain with the rest of the men. After receiving their jumpwings and training at Camp Mackall, they then headed to Aldbourne England for the invasion of Europe. There, he and the other NCO's headed by StSgt. Ranney and StSgt. Harris proposed a mutiny against Herbert Sobel, saying they no longer wish to serve as a noncommisioned officer in Easy Company. Colonel Robert F. Sink, the commander of the 506th chewed them out, but let them go. Sobel was then transferred to Chilton Foliat, and was replaced by 1st Lt. Meehan. At Upottery, England, he was told by Sgt. Martin that William Guarnere's brother had been killed at Monte Casino, Italy. He told Martin to tell Guarnere, but Martin warned that it wouldn't be a good idea before the invasion. Guarnere eventually found out though, but seemed fit. During the invasion, Lipton lost his weapons during the jump, except for some explosives (Grenades and TNT) and his knife. He tagged along with Privates McDowell, and Olsen from the 82nd Airborne. He met 1st Lt. Richard Winters and Private John Hall from Able Company and tagged along. They then met up with Private Wynn, Sgt Guarnere, Pvt. Malarkey, and Cpl. Joe Toye. They met a German patrol, and were able to kill them all. They then made it to a town called Sainte-Mère-Église, where he and a couple others were ordered to attack a German battery of 88s at Brecourt Manor. There, he sniped a couple of Germans, before crawling to join Winters and his group. On his way, he met Warrent Officer Andrew Hill, who asked where Regimental HQ was. "Are you kidding!?" Lipton yelled. "It's back that way!" as he pointed behind. Hill looked up, and was hit in the head by a bullet, killing him. Lipton made it, but realized his TNT would not be needed, since they already destroyed three cannons. Lipton was able to use it on one though. They then went to the town of Carentan in Episode 3. They met heavy resistance, but held on. As Lipton was directing men, a shell landed in front of him, and he was launched by the concussion into a wall. Talbert came to help. Lipton was bleeding in the cheek and hand from shrapnel. He then noticed blood at his groin. Talbert was able to open his pants up, and checked it. "You're okay Lip. Everything's right where it should be." he reassured Lipton. Lipton would return to Easy Company, recovering from his wounds, (with a scar on his cheek to show for it), and had been promoted to First Sergeant, replacing William Evans, who was killed during the invasion. At Aldbourne, England, he told everyone that they will be heading out. They landed in Holland for Operation Market Garden, but met little resistance. That is, until the Germans attacked them at Nuenen with Tiger Tanks. As they were retreating from their first defeat, Lipton read out the casualty list to Winters from Easy. "We got four dead. Eleven injured. Oh, and sir, Randleman's missing." Randleman would return, and Easy would move out to Holland Crossroads. At the Crossroads, Lipton and Easy quickly defeated a group of German soldiers, with one dead (Dukeman) and twenty two wounded (including Sgt. Boyle and Pvt. Webster). Lipton and Easy then headed to the Ardennes forest, in Belgium on the outskirts of the town of Bastogne. In the forest, the men were heavily undersupplied, and were suffering heavy casualties. Lipton was sitting at a tree, when the Companys new commander, 1st Lt. Dyke started asking questions. Where he was from, and if he missed it. "Honestly sir, I try not to think about it." He was then asked what made him decide to join the Paratroopers. "I wanted to be with the best sir." Lipton was about to ask where Dike was from, but noticed that Dike was walking away. Lipton chuckled. During a bombardment, Lipton narrated the story saying that it reminded him of Fireworks on the Fourth of July. He had begun laughing. He continues the narration by saying if only he knew what had happened to Joe Toye. He heard someone saying "I need to get up." Guarnere knew that it was Toye, and he went to help him. Lipton warned him, but Guarnere ignored him. Guarnere started coming back, dragging Toye, who had blood leaking from the stump of his leg. Suddenly, the bombardment came again, and Guarnere was hit by a shell. Lipton narrated again, saying that this time, he was no longer laughing. After that bombardment, a medic came and took Guarnere, and what was left of his leg, and then Toye. They luckily survived. Lipton later told off T-4 George Luz for mimicking Dike. Just then, another bombardment began, and Luz came into Lipton's hole. "Muck and Penkala got hit!" he yelled. Just then a shell landed in Lipton and Luz's foxhole. But it was a dud. Luz lit a cigarette, and started smoking. Lipton took the cigarette, and for the first time ever, smoked. They then checked Muck and Penkala's ruined foxhole. There wasn't much to see. They had been blown up. Lipton and Easy later went and captured Foy, and received a new commander, 1st Lt. Spiers, as Dike had been relieved for shell shock. Lipton had also recieved a commission as an officer. While at Germany, he and Easy Company liberated a concentration camp, giving Lipton a shocking sight of the cruelty of the holocaust. After the war, Lipton finished school, and was made a manufacturer of glass products and plastics packaging at Owens Illinois Inc, and eventually became Chief Operator in 1952. He then moved to Bridgeton, New Jersey on 1966, and was made Administrative Manager. He eventually married a woman named Marie, and had three sons named Clifford Carwood III, Thomas, and Robert Dulain. He and his family then moved to London, England on 1971, where he became the Director of Manufacturing for eight different glass companies in Scotland and England. He then moved to Toledo Ohio on 1982. He then retired on 1983 from his post as Director of International Development. He lived out his retirement years in Southern Pines, North Carolina. He was eventually interviewed for Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose in 1992, and was later interviewed for the series in 2001. C. Carwood Lipton died on December 16, 2001 of pulmonary fibrosis in Southern Pines, North Carolina. He is survived by his wife Marie and his three sons; Clifford Carwood III, Thomas, Robert Dulaine, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Category:Characters Category:Deceased Category:Paratroopers/Soldiers Category:Officers